Work

My body hates work. I hate work. If I could, I believe I would avoid work for the rest of my life. Work is hard - it takes energy of body and mind and leaves us tired. In my mind, I often contrast work with pleasure; and I tell myself that after a certain amount of work I deserve pleasure.

Kinds of work I hate

1. Fighting sin
   
   This is work - really hard work. If you disagree, you don't fight sin.
   
   
2. Discipline
   
   Waking up in the morning, exercising when I don't want to, turning off the TV, getting off the computer when wasting time, stopping wasting time of any kind, working while I am at my job are all hard work.
   
   
3. Studying

Why I hate work

1. It takes time.
   
   This is especially true of studying. I see the massive amount of work between me and someone who has been working for years, and don't want to begin.
   
   
2. It is discouraging.
   
   Before I start work of any kind, I usually have to beat discouragement. Going to exercise again.... again - I just hate that feeling of repetition and "ought."
   
   
3. It makes me feel bad when I don't do it.
   
   Looking at a messy room is depressing.

Is anyone else out there sinning by neglecting work? Labor in prayer, labor in body, labor in discipline? Does anyone else hear the "vanity" recitations of Ecclesiastes and get discouraged?

But brothers, out labor is not in vain. It would be so had we not a great Lord who does not forget our labor.

"For God is not unjust so as to forget your work..." Heb 6.10

Our lot while we linger here is work. We have much to do. Yet we are slow, sluggish, and shirking of our work. May we be convicted of the Spirit and labor hard at our work.

I don't know what is so godly about hard work, but something about it is. Conversely, laziness is very wicked. I'll meditate on this, but as a conviction of the Spirit just today on my life, I wanted to lay this charge to you all as well.